Travel Briefs

Travelers can rent e-bikes and equipment throughout Scotland with eguide Scotland (Aboyne, Scotland, UK; www.eguidescotland.com). E-bikes have battery-powered motors that assist with pedaling during climbs or in rough terrain. Batteries typically last about 35 miles on one charge.

Bikes that can be rented include full-suspension e-mountain bikes and e-gravel bikes (£60 [near $80] per day) and regular, non-e-bike mountain bikes (£20 per day). A rental includes helmet, bike...

CONTINUE READING »

A 250-mile bike route following the river Seine in France from Paris to Rouen to the shores of Le Havre, Normandy, was completed in 2020. La Seine à Vélo is split into 12 stages — the longest being 29 miles — all suitable for casual cyclists. Along the way, riders will encounter historic châteaux, market towns, parks, gardens and more.

For a map, info on renting a bike and a list of restaurants and accommodations along the route, visit www.laseineavelo.com.

CONTINUE READING »

In Rome, Italy, the Mausoleum of Augustus, former resting place of the first Roman emperor, reopened to the public in March 2021 after 14 years of restoration. The circular structure, dating back to 28 BC, was also the burial place for other members of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, which lasted until Nero died in AD 68. Near the Tiber River, it stands in the Piazza Augusto Imperatore, off Via dell’Ara Pacis.

The mausoleum opens daily at 9 a.m.; closing times vary. At €4 (near...

CONTINUE READING »

In Tsarskoye Selo, Russia, near the Catherine Palace, about 15 miles south of St. Petersburg, the Alexander Palace opened as a museum on Aug. 13, 2021.

Once an imperial residence favored by Nicholas II, the last czar of Russia, the palace became home to a Soviet academy and, after WWII, offices for the Soviet Navy before being left to the state for restoration in the ’90s. The palace has now been partially restored, with some original furnishings, to its appearance from the time...

CONTINUE READING »

In Zürich, Switzerland, the restaurant Haus Hiltl (Sihlstraße 28; phone +41 44 227 70 00, hiltl.ch/en) holds the the Guinness World Record for oldest continually operated vegetarian restaurant, having served only meat-free dishes since 1898.

At the restaurant, guests can choose from an à la carte menu, changed daily, or they can visit a buffet of up to 100 items, hot and cold. Guests eating from the buffet are charged by the weight of the items chosen: CHF4.50 (near $5) per 100 grams...

CONTINUE READING »

Marriott International (marriott.com) announced on Nov. 24 that it would begin disclosing any and all resort fees, as part of the nightly rate quoted, before a room is booked. It is the first major hotel chain to decide to reveal these fees up front.

Resort fees are charged for amenities such as Wi-Fi, access to the hotel’s pool or gym and even parking and are often charged per night. The fees can substantially raise the advertised cost of the room. Typically, resort fees are...

CONTINUE READING »

The beach at Maya Bay, a famous swimming spot in Thailand’s Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, is scheduled to reopen on Jan. 1, 2022, after having been closed since June 1, 2018, to allow the cove’s sea life to regenerate (May ’18, pg. 4 & Oct. ’21, pg. 29). The environment had been damaged by a combination of overcrowding and bathers’ toxic sunscreen.

Boats are banned from the bay.

CONTINUE READING »

In southwest England’s Devon County, the Dartmoor Line (dartmoorline.com), the first line to be reinstated in the country’s “Restoring your Railway” initiative, reopened on Nov. 20, 2021, after having ceased regular passenger service back in 1972.

It’s a 40-minute journey from Exeter St Davids to Okehampton, with a stop at Crediton (and, on some runs, Newton St Cyres). The trip costs £8 (near $10.60), including anytime day return. (A through-train...

CONTINUE READING »